Lottomatica wins scratch card appeal

MILAN – The Italian lottery operator Lottomatica has won its appeal in a dispute with Sisal, a smaller rival, over its scratch card concession in the Italian market.

Lottomatica was the only operator to bid for four scratch card concessions to start in June this year. Smaller rival operators felt they were pushed out of the bidding process which took place in October 2009.

In a statement made on Wednesday, Lottomatica said Italy’s State Council had accepted an appeal by gaming regulator AAMS and a Lottomatica-controlled consortium.

“The State Council also accepted a portion of the appeal submitted by Sisal,” Lottomatica added in the statement.

The State Council administrative court ruled that the tender, won unopposed by Lottomatica in October, was valid. It struck out a term granting it a 20-month transitional right to continue running existing scratch card games.

In its ruling late Tuesday, the administrative court said it accepted Lottomatica’s appeal. However, the court sent the case back to the economy ministry and gaming regulator AAMS for further deliberation over the transitional term.

This means that the tender for scratch card concessions could be re run between Lottomatica and Sisal after the economy ministry and AAMS have deliberated on the decision.